Eickarie
The Eickarie were a reptilian humanoid alien species from the Unknown Regions that were aligned with the Empire of the Hand. They were native to the planet Kariek. They had pale orange blood and orange and green skin with patterns of black scales around their large eyes and across the backs of their heads. They are close enough to Human norm in body shape to fit into standard stormtrooper armor. Several details about the Eickarie language are known, such as "shak" meaning "ready". In their culture, "left-handed" was associated with evil and deceit while "right-handed" was associated with good and truth. Notable Eickaries include Su-mil and Ha-ran. They were formerly a fragmented tribal people who had been ruled by a tyrannical Warlord for 50 standard years prior to 22 ABY. While the Warlord was unpopular and reviled by much of the general population, he remained in power due to the tribal conflicts with the Eickarie people and the minute support of local collaborators. Eventually, the United Tribes of Kariek was formed during the United Tribes Agreement to oppose the Warlord. The United Tribes was covertly supported by the Empire of the Hand which helped overthrow the Warlord during the Battle of Kariek. With the Warlord defeated, the Eickaries planned to join the Empire of the Hand. Biology and appearance Eickarie preferred a darker, hotter, and more humid environment than Humans and Chiss. Like other humanoid species, they evolved in a process influenced by the ancient humanoids, though they possessed much more reptilian DNA than most. Externally, Eickarie were easily recognizable by each having light-gray skin, two thick, vertical neck ridges that receded back to the crown of their head, and an inverted tear-shaped ridge in the center of the forehead. The ridge was thickest immediately above the eyes, protecting them and creating an especially deep-set appearance. This trait earned them the derogatory nickname "spoon heads." Some Eickarie had another ridged feature, also in the shape of an inverted tear, in the center of their chests, while other members of the species were missing this trait. On Eickarie females, the ridge in the center of the forehead had a blue coloration, as did the second or third rung down on their neck ridges. This coloration may be a form of cosmetic make-up, similar to henna ink make-up and markings. Eickarie had straight hair that varied in color from dark brown to jet black, though the latter coloration was far more common. Males typically slicked their hair back, while the women had more varying hairstyles. As with Humans, their hair turned white with age. However, some male Eickarie tended to dye their hair, instead of letting it show white. Furthermore, a Eickarie hearing was not as acute as that of a Human. Eickarie neck ridges were sensitive to touch and massaging them stimulated pleasure. Odo was known to perform an act known as the "Eickarie neck trick." The Eickarie were known for their photographic memories, which, per Dukat, were enabled by rigorous childhood training. Some, including Dukat, had the ability to resist a mind meld, which Dukat explained as "simply a matter of discipline". The color of their blood was an reddish-orange. In common with many other humanoid species, Cardassians were able to produce offspring with a variety of species. Society and culture Eickarie culture was hierarchical, with the State at the top in public life, and parents within the home. Eickarie valued advanced age as a sign of strength, power, and wisdom. In Eickarie culture, the thirtieth birthday was cause for celebration for an Eickarie, though the government may not have always been so open-minded in its policies. Eickarie architecture often reinforced established hierarchy by placing important individuals in physically high locations. The emphasis on hierarchy and other factors were fertile ground for intense rivalries between individuals and families. As a result, Eickarie were generally suspicious and regarded those who were not as foolish. Eickarie culture valued family highly, as demonstrated in a Eickarie saying that proclaimed, "Family is all,". Eickarie homes were typically multi-generational and hierarchical, with male and female parents sharing authority. Eickarie culture emphasized family loyalty. Similar to some other cultures, Eickarie placed great value on the continuation of family lines, and as such were pro-natalist, though they were not known for having large numbers of offspring. Sometimes, Eickarie children would visit their parents at work to see what they did, even if their job involved torture. In contrast to the close-knit family unit, Eickarie culture did not regard orphans highly, and provided no obvious means of social welfare for them, though adoption was not unheard of. When making a speech, the leader of the United Tribes of Kariek often used the send-off "This I vow with my life's blood, for my sons, for all our sons." Neither of the two Eickarie genders was considered universally dominant over the other, though each tended to be dominant within certain specific fields within their society. Eickarie enjoyed debate and conversation in general. Eickarie meal time was as much about discussion as it was about eating. They would speak at length about a topic to show their knowledge, avoid saying something incriminating, or to obtain some piece of information from the person they were speaking to. Eickarie were meticulous record keepers, using well-organized files and databases. Eickarie were known for their punctuality and also valued cleanliness. Eickarie were similar to Chiss in their xenophobic tendencies, and also shared a belief that there was no such thing as luck. Like the Ubese, they treated their prisoners with little tolerance or sympathy, and had no qualms with using torture to extract information. Some Eickarie were even known to enjoy torturing their prisoners and to do it whether there was information to be extracted or not. Within the Household Phalanx, at any rate, the practice of torture was so much a cultural custom that having to torture someone closely acquainted with the torturer was sometimes used as a test of loyalty for those who wanted to join the Order or rejoin the organization. To many Galactic Core species, Eickarie were seen as nothing more than arrogant, cruel, cold-blooded killers. Appearances *''Star Wars: Fool's Bargain'' *''Star Wars: Survivor's Quest'' Category:Eickaries Category:Reptilian sentient species Category:Wild Space species Category:Unknown Regions species